Automatic volume control



Nov. 19, 1940. I H, B, FU 2,222,432

AUTOMATIC VOLUME CONTROL Filed Oct. 20, 1937 v 35, I i a w I Patented Nov. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

My invention relates to an electrical device, method and system and apparatus for the local and distant control of devices of various kinds, as for example wireless tuning mechanisms.

One object of this invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, and eflicient low speed motor adapted to impart movement to devices by a series of rapid pulses.

Another object of this invention is to provide an exceptionally simple and low priced motor for light work, as for instance operating communication devices, time switches, animated display and advertising devices, toys, valves, apparatus and machines of various kinds, acoustic and optical signalling installations, firing equipment for blasting, etc.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple device sufnciently low in cost so that it can be used to control low-priced wireless sets, thereby performing a public service by making it possible for the average public .to enjoy greater radio operating comfort by purchasing low-priced wireless sets embodying this invention.

A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus and method whereby the actuation of a single control means will operate the tuning element of a wireless set and automatically operate the volume control of the wireless set in response to the tuning element reaching a predetermined position until the listener hears the desired volume and stops the actuation of the single control means thereat.

Still further objects of this invention will appear hereinafter.

This invention accordingly consists in the method, system, combinations of elements, arrangement of parts, and in the several steps and relation and order of each of the same to one or more of the others as will be disclosed herein. The many novel features embraced in this invention are far-reaching in their scope and are applicable in many embodiments other than that described, and I therefore do not wish to be limited except as indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawing. Figure l is a diagrammatical view of one embodiment of the invention, and Figure 2 is a perspective view clearly illustrating the new, novel and very simple manner in which the shaft is rotated,

Referring to the drawing, I indicates the base of electrical insulating material to which is secured the electromagnets 2 and 3 having core extensions 4 and 5. The armature 6 having a contact point I and the armature 8 having a contact point 9 are loosely mounted on the shaft I which may be connected with the rotor shaft of a wireless tuning condenser by means of an electric insulating coupling so that shaft I0 is electrically insulated therefrom. II and I2 indicate strands made of material that yields under stress and returns to its normal form when the stress is removed, such for instance as metal spring wire or a springy non-metallic material as for instance rattan. These strands may be covered with a friction material, as for example rubber. These 10 strands and the method of using them are a very important part of the invention, and as clearly illustrated in Figure 2 the strand II or I2 is loosely coiled around shaft I0, one end thereof being braced against or secured to the armature 6 or 8 and the other end terminating in a loop. As shown in Figure 1, these loops are tensioned against the end of screw I3 positioned in post I4 and against the end of screw I5 positioned in post, I6, and the adjustment of these screws by a screw-driver inserted through holes in core extensions 4 and 5 determines the proper looseness of the coiled strands I I and I2 on shaft I0 so that when either armature 6 or 8 is vibrated by its respective electromagnet 2 or 3, each time either armature is attracted by its electromagnet it tightens its coiled strand upon the shaft Ill and causes the shaft to rotate a small distance in a direction. It will thus be seen that when one end of a strand is-secured in a fixed position the movement of the other end of the strand in an arc toward the fixed end will tighten the coil of the strand on the shaft and thereby rotate the shaft a small distance.

The contact spring Il secured to post I8 nor mally contacts with contact point I, and the contact spring I9 secured to post 20 normally contacts with contact point 9. 2I indicates multiple closely spaced holes, in base I, having contact pins 22 inserted therein in various spaced relationship in accordance with predetermined points, such for instance as the resonance points of a wireless tuning condenser. Each contact pin is connected by means of a flexible cable 23 to a post or lug 24 secured in base I, of which only a few are shown for purpose of clearness, with the understanding that any number of posts or lugs 24 and the flexible cables and contact pins connected thereto may be used. 25 indicates 5 carrier means, as for instance wires, connected from posts or lugs 24 to the locally or remotely positioned current switching members 26. Each pair of current switching members 26 and 2! are adapted to be actuated simultaneously and 5 carries a metallug adapted to bridge the circuit.

between contacts 3| and the other end of switching means 29 carries a metal lug adapted-teenage the circuit between contacts 32,. so that. when,

In other words, when a pair of switching members are actuated, an electromagnet vibrates an armature which moves the shaft in a direction, and when the switch arm secured to the shaft contacts a contact pin which has been preset in a hole in the base in accordance with the resonance point of a wireless station and is connected to one of the actuated switching members, then the motor device connected to the other actuated: switching member short-circuits and therebyfstops the operation of the. electromagnet and at the same time operates a volume control "until the listener hears the desired volume and switch arm 28 strikes offset 30 at one'extremity" of its range one lug bridges tonne-tam a's'shown,

and when switch arm 28 strikes the other offset 30 at the other extremity of its range'it opens" the circuit :betweem icontacts. 31c and bridges.- the circuit. betweemzcontactsz '32: The. use ofthe metallugs at the ends .of switching means. 29 are easily understood byjthoseskilled in the artand therefore they. are not. shown a" the drawing for purpose ofJclearness;'1-.;' 5;; '1'1'3'1' ,ajj f In operation,.each contact. pin 22.=is inserted in a.:hole; .2 I at a: predetermined; positioniin :ac cordancewith the. resonancenpoint' of'la wireless station, .and':when one: pair .of switching-mem bers .26. andz 2.1. is actuatedeas .for .exampleAthe painat the extreme leftrim thedrawing', current from line '33 passes through vashaft .HL armature 6, ..contact point .1, contact springal'Lxpost: l8, line 34, contacts 3l.,.-1ine- 35;electroma'gnet 2,1lines 36 and 31,. switching. member 21,: contact-32L. to line. 39.. ,Electromagnetl..2. nowubeingi energized, core extension, 4: attractsarmature 6 so that .the coiled; strand ll tightens on: shaft.;l ll.v and moves the; shaft a small. distance; inrtheyclockwise directio n,-.-and.nthe interruptionoizthe flow of current by the moyementof armature 6 away. from.con,-

tact spring. l'l. causesdeenergization of electromagnet 2,whereupon the endgof -strand ll tensionsarmature 6 against contactspring l'] and energizes; electromagnet 2 whereby core extension 4 again attracts armature B, so; that the whole-operation is repeated-and-the vibration of armature 6 will. cause the-coiled strand. to intermittently-grip shaft ID and, move -it-. in a clockwise direction until theflow of current is stopped. g I r,

As previously noted, the actuation of the pair of switching members 26 and 2.1-at the; extreme left. in the drawing; is causing the rotation of shaft It. in a; clockwise direction, and when switch arm 28 contacts thecontactpin connected to switching member- 26,;as shown in Figure 1, current from line 33' passes through shaft ID, switch arm 28, contact pin=22, flexible cable 23, post or lug 24, line 25, switching member 26, contact 40, line 4!, motor device 42, line 43 to line 39. The 'motor device42 is now energized and operatesthe volume control 44 of a wireless set. Howevenfmotor fdevice 12 is of lower resistance than ele'ctroniagnet 2' so that the current flows through the path of least resistance which is motor device 42 and electromagnet-2 does not operate because of insufiicient current. The motor device 42 is now operating volume control 44 from minimum to maximum or vice versa until the listener hears the desired volume and stops the operation of motor device 42 thereat byreleasing the switching. means 21. and 26 from. contactwith contacts 38. and .40.

engages the switching members thereat. In

,ztliismanner the single motion of actuating both switching; members simultaneously automatically stops a wireless tuning element at a predeter- 'mi'ned'-point and then automatically varies a vol- .ume cgntrol until the listener stops the actuation of the switching members upon hearing the desired =vol ume producedby the speaker of the wireless'set: f

It will of-course be understood that instead of beingfconnected tothe motor device 42, lines 4| and 43 -may be'connected to a relay for-stopping the'actua tion of the-wireless-tuning element, or to switching'meansforenergizing or deenergizing electroresponsive devices inresponseto the tuning-{element reaching predetermined positions. Itwil befurther understood that the'electromagnetsused for actuating the armatures'are merely-"one example and that other electroresponsi-ve devices, through which-passes the current' bfwhich' they are actuated or operated,

maybeused.

' Itismot necessary to give a detailed descriptionof thecircuit includingelectromagnet 3 which is 'o perative in the same manner as the circuitfincluding electromagnet 2, with the exception that when shaft ID is not stopped by the contact-"of switcharm 28 with a contact pin 22.

conneced to an actuated switching member, the continued movement of switch arm 28 in a clockwisedirection will cause it to strike offset 39 and so cause the metal lug in switching means 29 to bridgecontacts 32 thereby deenergizing electromagnet 2 and energizing electromagnet 3 to ac tuate armature 8 to move shaft It! in an anticlockwise direction. In other words, when switch arm- 28- reaches an extremity of its range it actuates switching means 29 which deenergizes the operating electromagnet and energizes the other electromagnet to move shaft It in an opposite direction, so that each time switch arm 28 reaches an extremity of its range shaft 16 is automaticaliy rotated in the opposite direction.

Although one form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be obvious that my invention may take several forms and therefore I do not wish to be limited except as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An electrical device comprising a tuning element, a single control adapted to be moved in adirection for controlling the adjustment of the tuning element to a desired point of resonance, a contactelement, at the desired point of resonance connected with the single control, a volume control adapted to be varied between'minimum and maximum, anda motor device connected to the contact element adapted to vary the volume control when the tuning element is at a desired point of resonance, the motor device adapted to-be stopped atthe desired degree of volume by the movement of the single control in another direction.

2. An electrical device comprising a tuning element, means for adjusting the tuning element to a desired point of resonance, a contact element at the desired point of resonance, a volume control adapted to be varied, an electroresponsive device connected with the contact element adapted to vary the volume control when the tuning element is at the desired point of resonance, and a single control connected with the contact element adapted to be actuated for controlling the adjustment of the tuning element to the desired point of resonance and tobe released to stop the operation of the electroresponsive device at the desired degree of volume.

3. An electrical device comprising a tuning element, an arm moving with the tuning element, a preset contact element, a volume control adapted to be varied between minimum and maximum, an electroresponsive device for varying the volume control adapted to be energized by the engagement of the arm with the preset contact element, and manually operable means for stopping the varying of the volume control.

4. An electrical device comprising a first movable member associated with a tuning element, a second member pre-set in accordance with the resonance point of a communications station, a motor device for operating a volume control, and means responsive to movement of the first member into engagement with the second member to actuate the motor device.

5. An electrical device comprising a first member associated with a tuning element, a second member preset in accordance with the resonance point of a communications station, a motor device for operating a volume control, means responsive to movement of the first member into engagement with the second member to actuate the motor device, and manual means for stopping the motor device.

6. An electrical device comprising two switching members adapted to be actuated simultaneously, a tuning element, an electroresponsive device for actuating the tuning element connected with one switching member and a motor device for varying a volume control connected with the other switching member, a first member associated with the tuning element, a second member preset in accordance with the resonance point of a communications station, and means responsive to movement of the first member into engagement with the second member to actuate the motor device.

'7. An electrical device comprising a tuning element, an arm moving with the tuning element, a contact element pre-set in accordance with the resonance point of a station, a volume control adapted to be varied between minimum and maximum, and a motor device for varying the volume control adapted to be energized by the engagement of the arm with the contact element.

8. An electrical device comprising a tuning element, a switching member controlling the adjustment of the tuning element to a desired point of resonance, a contact element at the desired point of resonance connected with the switching member, a volume control adapted to be varied between minimum and maximum, and a motor device connected to the contact element adapted to vary the volume control when the tuning element is at the desired point of resonance.

' HARRY BRICKER FUCHS. 

